Discussions about the art highlight the fact that cultural products are hedonic in nature, and an artwork cannot be classified as a utilitarian product; more so, when it comes to high art, the marketing approach is more product-oriented than market-oriented. The art is about living an experience. It is this experience that is the essence of the arts.
There are three dimensions of this experience for patrons: the contact with the work of art itself, the social dimension in going to the arts with loved ones or friends, and the ambiance of the theatre or the museum. But the artwork is always at the center of the marketing strategy. We will then say that arts marketing is “the art of making contact with market segments that are likely to be interested in the artistic product by using the marketing variables — price, distribution, and promotion — in order to put the art work (product) in contact with a sufficient number of consumers, thereby achieving the objectives set based on the company’s mission.” (Colbert et al. 2018. Marketing Culture and the Arts, 5th edition)
Contrary to for profit company that have profits as an objective, the arts are centered on the message the artist wishes to convey to the community. The marketing manager is then at the service of the artist and of the artwork.
Credit: Jose Antonio Gallego on Pexels.
François Colbert is MMIAM Codirector, Remi-Marcoux Chair in Arts Management, author of the book Marketing Culture and the Arts published in 15 langages along its five editions.
For a more complete discussion please see:
Colbert et al. 2018. Marketing Culture and the Arts, 5th edition. Montréal: Carmelle and Rémi-Marcoux Chair in Arts Management, HEC Montréal.
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